


Blue

by Sakimori



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 11:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21178928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakimori/pseuds/Sakimori
Summary: A mildly successful Crucible fireteam is fed up with their current situation. Luckily, they've heard that the Vanguard are opening a new area of operations to interested Guardians.The Golden Age is about to get a bit less mysterious...





	Blue

A warlock and her ghost vaulted over a large concrete block and took cover, making themselves as small as possible. The Guardian released the canister from her revolver and slotted a fresh magazine, closing the chamber with a flick of her wrist. "So, Kepler?" 

"Yes, Guardian?" 

"I'm the last one, aren't I."

"Yes, Guardian."

"And this is the last round?" 

"Yes, Guardian."

She tapped the muzzle of her revolver against her helmet. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" 

"Mira, please, I don't want to have to resurrect you if I don't have to, it's a hass-" 

The warlock didn't let her ghost finish. She stowed him, and her handgun, before leaping up into the air. Void energy built up around her, purple Light gathering in her hand as she rose. She pulled her arm back, ready to devastate the enemy with a nova bomb she had been building for what had felt like an eternity. 

A shot rings out. 

A bullet shatters her helmet, killing her instantly. 

As her body falls to the ground, a voice booms over the battlefield. "A skillful finishing blow, and a complete sweep by Blue! I expected nothing less from this fireteam, and they did  _ not _ disappoint."

Throughout the rubble, ghosts pulsed as they revived their dead Guardians. Groans were common on the battlefield after Crucible matches, especially the televised ones, and this match was no exception. Three Guardians in red armor soon found themselves gathered around the warlock's body. Her ghost hovered above her body, waiting on the final resurrection. 

Another warlock, a hunter, and a titan exchanged looks. The titan removed his helmet with a hiss of escaping gas. He was an exo, and a rather grizzled one. His paint was scratched, his nose was missing, and only one side of his face glowed green as he spoke. "Kepler, bring Mira back to us. Now. She hasn't earned a nap."

"I don't take orders from you, Gaz." Gaz met this response by continuing to stare at the ghost. "But… since you asked so nicely… Fine," it continued. It pulsed with Light, and Mira bolted upright, her helmet repaired and once again covering her head. 

"How'd I die? I was supering!" 

The other warlock took her helmet off and sighed dramatically. "I  _ told  _ you they were running sniper rifles! We  _ knew _ this after Scythe and I had our heads removed in round one. You really should start listening to me instead of yelling about titans tackling you."

"Hey, at least I have an excuse! You ran right through my ghost after I got shot. Even I know that's a bad idea!" the hunter shouted as Mira opened her mouth to respond. He crossed his arms as his ghost floated above his head. 

"It's true. I was there," the ghost added. Mira giggled, still sitting on the ground. 

"Less fighting, more learning. Understood?" Gaz sounded annoyed, and the other Guardians exchanged worried looks. None of them wanted to get another lecture on accountability from the war hero. It always made them feel guilty. They all nodded in silence, simultaneously.

  
  
  
  
  


Mira cheered, slamming her whisky glass down on the bar as she pointed at the screen on the far wall. The human's shoulder-length red hair swung to obscure her face as she turned to her right, where the other warlock sat. "See Sera? That's what I was  _ trying _ to do, before that asshole had to ruin all the fun," she said. The void Light filling the screen slowly faded, revealing three dead Guardians and a wall with a large hole in it. A subtitle popped up at the bottom: [SHAXX SCREAMING INCOMPREHENSIBLY]. 

"Well, let's look over that play, and figure out where you went wrong." Sera sipped her wine through a smug smile, typical on her light blue Awoken complexion. "Where to begin… Ah! Of course. That nova went  _ through the wall _ and was a complete surprise. You, on the other hand, leapt up in front of a sniper rifle without even charging first." She grinned, and took another sip after brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"That's… weirdly observant of you. We've been in this fireteam for what, 15 years now? I've never seen you look twice at a play like that, let alone analyze the flaws." Mira stared at her companion, bewildered, before looking at the wine glass. "Did the bartender put something in your drink?" 

Sera pouted. "Hey, if I noticed it, that must mean you  _ really  _ fucked up."

"Like you've never made a mistake before… Look. I was just trying to put on a show!" 

"Like always," Sera groaned. 

"Yeah! Like always! How do you think we have fans if we hardly ever win?" 

"I suppose four is technically a number greater than one."

Mira squinted at Sera in silence. After a moment, she took a drink to finish off her whiskey. "If you're done belittling my achievements, we need to track down Gaz and Scythe. They were supposed to be here an hour ago." She slid her chair back from the bar and stood up, offering a helping hand to Sera as she did so. Sera lingered, gazing longingly at her own half full glass. 

"Oh, sure, after you finish your drink we have to leave, I get it." Sera tried to sound upset, but her smile betrayed her. She took Mira's hand and hopped off her chair, letting herself be dragged out onto the street with no resistance at all. 

  
  
  
  
  


"I told you they'd be here." Sera couldn't help but sound satisfied as the two of them approached the landing zone in Mira's jumpship. The battlefield from their earlier match sat quietly in the night, and two lights were visible in the courtyard. "We could have saved  _ so  _ much fuel if you'd just listen!" 

"First of all, we did only check one other place first. It wasn't  _ that _ much of a waste."

"Mira, you took us all the way to Tethys."

"Scythe likes the way it kinda looks like his name, alright? I thought he might have dragged Gaz out there."

"Yes, and Scythe  _ also _ feels very self-conscious around us. Wouldn't you be if you just woke up, had this whole mess explained to you, and then got picked up by a titan from Six Fronts?" 

"Don't forget his two stunning warlock companions!" 

Kepler materialized over the console of the ship, his eye looking out the cockpit window. He spun around to face the two women. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're ready to transmat." They both nodded, and disappeared. 

On the surface, Sera landed gracefully, taking a step forward as she appeared. Directly in front of her, Mira kicked up a dust cloud as she slammed into the ground in a three point landing. Sera coughed and brushed the dirt off her armor as Mira straightened up. "Kepler, are you sure you got the right one? She acts like a titan."

The ghost shook itself off before replying, "Yes. Unfortunately."

"I'm right here!" 

"With an entrance like that, every dreg in a three mile radius knows you're here. Keep your gun ready, just in case," Sera spoke over her shoulder as she walked in the direction of the lights. Mira sighed and followed her, a hand on her holster. Just in case.

The two of them picked their steps carefully, traversing a collapsed building adjacent to the courtyard. They neared a hole in the wall, and Mira noticed a small red dot on the opposite side of the hallway. "Sera! Stop!" she hissed, and Sera halted in her tracks. 

"What now?" 

"I think Gaz is getting ready to shoot the next thing that pops into that hole." Mira picked up a pebble and tossed it into the gap. A hail of bullets poured through, disturbing the quiet wilderness. Shortly after, the pebble landed unscathed. "Oh." She smiled beneath her helmet and shouted, "Scythe! Work on your aim!" 

Scythe's voice called back, "Mira? Is that you?" The dot flickered off, and the two warlocks stepped forward. They were blinded by the light of two ghosts spotlighting the area, and Sera shielded her eyes with her pulse rifle's frame.

"I'm here too! We were worried about you guys," she said. "Can you, uh, point those elsewhere? It's really bright." 

"And why were you worried about us, hm? I was running some exercises with Scythe here. He actually asked me to!" Gaz stepped forward and hugged Sera with a clang of armor on armor. "I do like seeing everyone together though. No complaints here."

"Yeah, I… I know I can't aim, and I wanted some extra practice. So… Uh… thanks for the advice, earlier, but I'm way ahead of you, there."

"We were supposed to watch some Crucible at the bar tonight!" Mira crossed her arms and heaved her shoulders as she spoke, making an attempt to look annoyed. 

"Oh, was that… I'm sorry."

"No, Scythe, I'm responsible too. Don't blame yourself for this one," Gaz added.

Mira sighed, and slumped backwards into a hardlight chair that hadn't been there until now. "It's fine, I guess. No changing the past." She snapped her fingers and continued, "But that reminds me! I've been doing some thinking-" 

"Surprisingly," Sera interrupted. Mira glared at her. 

"I've been doing some thinking about all these losses. We need a break from the Crucible. Shaxx is starting to act disappointed, and I can't stand letting him down." The rest of the fireteam murmured in agreement. "So… The vanguard have announced that they're going to be posting some bounties for the Infinite Forest!" 

Gaz and Sera exchanged worried looks, but Scythe cheered. "Fuck yeah! I've heard some stories about that place and I've been dying to see the inside!" 

Gaz put a hand on Scythe's shoulder. "Boy, you've heard stories. Stories were all we had for centuries. That place is a deathtrap and a maze."

"Yeah, but-" 

"But what? Nobody who went in ended up coming back, until that whole business with Osiris and the Red War hero." Gaz lowered his voice. "I lost friends to the Forest, Scythe. Good friends."

Mira leaned on the back legs of her chair and countered, "That 'whole business' ended up destabilizing the whole thing! They say it's navigable now, and we can get some good intel from whatever the Vex have been cooking up in there. Plus, there's the glimmer and prestige in it for all of us!"

"Since when do you care about intel?" Gaz snapped.

"Maybe a certain titan's lectures have finally started getting to me. We're Guardians. The protectors of humanity! You always love reminding us, Gaz, and it's finally sinking in." Mira set her chair down in the stunned silence with a soft thud. "I'm tired of being just another minor league Crucible player. Let's be Guardians, dammit." 

Sera stepped forward and put her hand out in front of her. "Risks be damned, she's right for once. I'm ready to be a Guardian."

Mira stood up, and placed her hand on Sera's. Scythe joined them as well, saying, "Show me how it's done, right? Please?" 

Gaz hesitated. "I wasn't lying when I said I've lost people to that Forest. But…" he trailed off, and stepped forward. "It's been a long time. Their light isn't coming back. But mine is still here, and it's been too long since I've used it for anything worthwhile." He placed his hand on top of the pile. Mira looked around the circle. A titan, a hunter, two warlocks… A human, an Awoken, and two exos… She smiled. 

"We're Guardians. All of us. Let's prove it," she said, their hands still stacked together. "For the City."

They all shouted, voices as one:

"For the City!" 

  
  
  
  
  


Gaz, Sera and Scythe stood at the base of the Tower. It soared above the surrounding wall, even in its state of repair. They would rebuild it, stronger and more fortified than before, the Vanguard had said. It would have so, so many guns. 

That last part wasn't quite so certain, now that Cayde wasn't there to keep bothering the architects about it. Regardless, it was being rebuilt, and continued to serve as the hub of the active Guardians in the City. Every official mission was posted somewhere in its halls, and the Vanguard themselves were often found on the roof, along with a few other big shots. If the City knew your name, you spent your days up there. 

"Such an inspirational speech last night, and she has the nerve to be late?" Sera asked, tapping her foot impatiently as the group waited outside the main entrance. "Maybe she changed her mind?" 

"No," said Gaz. "No, she wouldn't do that. Not to me, anyway." He smiled at Scythe, lights flickering in his face. "You're not the only one who's seen me angry, boy. You're in good company." 

Scythe look up at the tower with a nervous laugh. "I- sure. But, uh… are we going to the roof? All the way up there? I haven't even seen past the fifth floor! Am I even allowed?" 

"You're a Guardian. Of course you're allowed." Gaz could disarm a kell with that smile of his, and Scythe felt all his anxiety drain away after those reassuring words. It'd be back, though. It always came back. 

"'Sup, bitches?" 

Sera sighed and looked towards the voice piercing through the murmur of the crowd. "Mira, please. We're about to talk to  _ Zavala _ . Can you take things seriously for once in your life?" 

Mira stopped mid-sip of her iced latte and rolled her eyes. She swallowed, and threw the cup over her shoulder. Scythe winced. "I missed, didn't I?" She turned around to place it in the can before returning to the group. "One of these days, I'll make it."

"Are you done?" Sera and Gaz looked at each other, not terribly surprised that they spoke simultaneously. 

"Yeah. Let's talk to Mister Scary Vanguard Man and take that bounty, shall we?" 

"His name is Zavala. Please respect that." 

"Gaz, come on. You know I'm joking. Let's go!" Mira strode towards the entrance, with Scythe jogging after her. 

"You're always joking, Mira. What are you hiding from?" Gaz whispered to himself, before allowing Sera to drag him towards the tower as well. 

  
  
  
  
  


"Excuse me?" 

"The… er… Infinite Forest bounties? Sir?" Mira hadn't felt quite this small in a long time. Zavala towered over her, and his yell cut into her soul. 

"Oh, so now it's sir." Gaz mumbled, hands clasped behind his back. 

"Those are for trusted fireteams  _ only _ , Guardian. I will not have blood on my hands from sending an unprepared fireteam into that labyrinth."

"But, sir-" 

"No buts. Show me your deployment history. I'll run your mission  _ personally _ if even one of you is experienced enough for the Forest."

Mira smiled. "You heard the man. Ghosts, can you summon our deployments for us?" 

Four ghosts materialized before their Guardians, blue beams scanning the empty space. Each Guardian held out their hand, and stacks of paper took form. Scythe had only a single sheet. Mira and Sera held their records, each about three inches thick and bound with hard covers. Zavala raised an eyebrow at Gaz, who stood with a stack of leather-bound books as high as his shoulders. He held a small stack in his hands, and held it out to the titan Vanguard. 

"This is the index. Sir." 

Zavala reached out slowly, and took the index. He flipped through it, making sounds of approval. "You've been around a while, Gaz-10."

"Yes, sir."

"Are these Guardians paying you to join them?" 

"No, sir."

"I'd have been disappointed if someone with your record had reduced themselves to mercenary work. Good." Zavala nodded as he handed the index back to Gaz, who placed it on top of his stack. "Do you trust these Guardians?" 

"With my life, sir," Gaz responded, without hesitation.

"Well, a promise is a promise. The bounty is yours, fireteam. I will support you from here. You have six hours to gather any gear you may want, and I personally assure you that you will find yourselves wanting for more once you enter." He crossed his arms, and continued. "I'm sure you're aware of the stories. The Forest will eat you up and not have the decency to spit you back out if you falter even once." He stared at each Guardian in turn before turning to look out over the City once more. "Don't make me regret this, Guardians."


End file.
